1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel dispenser and method to detect a customer at the fuel dispenser. Once the customer is detected, the fuel dispenser uses a video recognition device to collect appearance data from the customer. The fuel dispenser displays fueling instructions in the language or dialect understood by the customer as well as advertisements most appealing to the customer based on collected data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fuel dispensers displaying particular advertisements based upon different criteria is well known in the art. Some fuel dispensers display advertisements based upon the time of day in which the customer is using the fuel dispenser. Some fuel dispensers display advertisements more personal to the customer through the use of a transponder or other wireless device wherein the customer enters personal data about themselves and the data is transferred to the fuel dispenser. The fuel dispenser displays advertisements based on the transferred personal data. A problem is that the customer may not have a wireless device or a transponder. Therefore, the advertisements are displayed based on generalized criteria rather than criteria that would be more appealing or tailored to the customer.
Another problem with many fuel dispensers is that they display instructions in one language and therefore a customer that does not read that language has difficulty understanding how to operate the fuel dispenser and purchase fuel for their vehicle. Even if the fuel dispenser displays the fueling instructions in the customers language, the customer may understand a different language or dialect than that displayed on the fuel dispenser and have a difficult time understanding the fueling instructions. What is needed is a fuel dispenser that displays fuel instructions and advertisements in the language or dialect understood by the customer, as well as, displaying advertisements that are most appealing to that customer. The present invention provides the solution to this need.
The present invention comprises, in one form thereof, a fuel dispenser with a human being detection and recognition system. The fuel dispenser has a sensor means for detecting the presence of a person at the fuel dispenser. Also, the fuel dispenser has a video recognition means for gathering appearance data of the person detected at the fuel dispenser. The appearance data can be used for one or more of retrieving the language or dialect to be used for displaying fueling instructions, retrieving the language or dialect to be used for displaying advertisements, retrieving an advertisement regardless of the language or dialect or retrieving the language or dialect for both the fueling instructions and the advertisements. The preferred embodiment utilizes the appearance data gathered from the video recognition means, the language or dialect to be used for displaying the fueling instructions and the advertisements is determined by a processor in the video recognition means. Once the language or dialect is determined, the fueling instructions are selected from a database in the language or dialect understood by the person at the fuel dispenser. Also, based upon the appearance data, advertisements in the language or dialect understood by the person at the fuel dispenser are selected from the database that would be most appealing to that person. Finally, the fueling instructions and advertisements are displayed at the fuel dispenser.
The present invention comprises, in another form thereof, a fuel dispenser with a human being detection and recognition system having a card reading means. The fuel dispenser has a sensor means for detecting the presence of a person at the fuel dispenser. Also, the fuel dispenser has a video recognition means for gathering appearance data of the person detected at the fuel dispenser. Utilizing the appearance data gathered from the video recognition means, the language or dialect to be used for displaying the fueling instructions and the advertisements is determined by a processor in the video recognition means. Once the language or dialect is determined, the fueling instructions are selected from a database in the language or dialect understood by the person at the fuel dispenser. Also, based upon the appearance data, advertisements in the language or dialect understood by the person at the fuel dispenser are selected from the database that would be most appealing to that person. Furthermore, a card reading means is located at the fuel dispenser for receiving a credit card. The fuel dispenser utilizes information from the credit card to gather financial data relating to the person and advertisements are selected from the database based upon the financial data derived from the credit card data. Finally, the fueling instructions and advertisements are displayed at the fuel dispenser.
The present invention comprises, in yet another form thereof, a method of detecting and recognizing a human being at a fuel dispenser. The fuel dispenser detects the presence of a person using a sensing means. Appearance data of the person detected at the fuel dispenser is gathered using a video recognition means. Utilizing the gathered appearance data, the advertisements and/or instructions are displayed to the person at the fuel dispenser.
An advantage of the present invention is that the fuel dispenser will display fueling instructions, payment instructions and advertisements in the language or dialect understood by the customer so that the customer will be able to easily understand all text displayed on the fuel dispenser display.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the fuel dispenser will display advertisements that are tailored and more appealing to the customer using the fuel dispenser.